BLOG: Remembering Michael So’s kidnapping

Michael So, Hong Kong opera star and former owner of Honey Court Restaurant, passed away recently. Most people are unaware that he was kidnapped in 1982. (The two criminals were Wah Mee killers in 1983.) They robbed him at gunpoint at his Queen Anne home and later locked him in his own car trunk, leaving him for dead. Luckily, his wife, Shirley, never gave up and found the car outside. He was saved.

The Seattle Chinese Post was the only paper reporting the story at the time.

Here is a testament to Michael’s amazing character. Most Chinese immigrants denied what had happened out of fear of losing face and of being shamed and humiliated. But when we visited him, Michael offered us an interview. We hesitated at first, as we were concerned that he might still be traumatized after the incident. Surprisingly, he gave us the full scoop. Strangely, he didn’t seem to be afraid, but I was — after listening to every single scary detail — you could imagine it, just like watching a movie. (end)